This invention relates to ultrasonic cleaners, and more specifically, to a cleaner for medical, dental and industrial instruments.
Ultrasonic cleaners are widely used as some of the most preferred devices for cleaning of surgical instruments and dental instruments. The ultrasonic cleaners are usually capable of releasing tiny particles of debris that get caught in crevices of the instruments or devices. Where other cleaning methods may leave the impurities behind, ultrasonic cleaners work well in cleaning the instruments, objects in a relatively short period of time without hand scrubbing.
With the ever increasing public awareness of the danger of viruses, which are transmitted with bodily fluids, such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and Hepatitis, medical professionals invest more time and energy in making sure that all their surgical instruments are safe for the patients and the medical practitioners, as well. The ultrasonic cleaner eliminates hand scrubbing of instruments, which can lead to accidental sticks causing virus transmission to the operator. They also can be applied to other delicate objects, such as clock mechanisms for example.
Ultrasonic cleaners work faster, more effectively, with less risk. Further, ultrasonic cleaners, by generating high frequency vibrations, are believed to be capable of dislodging particularly stubborn accumulations in the surfaces of the instruments, thereby providing a more thorough mechanical cleaning of the objects.
Various patents were issued on the type of cleaning devices that are equipped with electrical circuits for ultrasonic transducers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,640,295 issued to Petersen for "Ultrasonic Cleaner and Surgical Instrument Case" discloses a cradle for receiving an instrument case designed to house surgical instruments. The case is mounted in a sink with an ultrasonic cleaning fluid. The cradle moves back and forth at various angles with respect to the ultrasonic transducers mounted on the sink in order to better clean the instrument case.
Another example of a cleaning device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,106 issued to Bannon for "Ultrasonic Parts Cleaning Container." According to that patent, a basket-shaped receptacle is placed in a liquid cleaning solution of an ultrasonic bath. Ultrasonic transducers are mounted on the side of the container for delivering the vibration to items placed in the basket. When the device operates, the transducers move freely, dispersing ultrasonic energy throughout the volume of the container.
Other known solutions include provision of an ultrasonic pulse cleaner for generating the ultrasonic energy in a continuous or pulse modes, still others use ultrasonic energy in combination with a heating element, and the like.
While known devices work satisfactory in many instances, they require manual disposal of the cleaning liquid. Since conventional devices are independently standing units, the cleaning solution must be carefully poured into the container and then the container must be emptied, often by hand. Such approach takes valuable time of the operator.
The present invention contemplates elimination of drawbacks associated with the prior art and provision of a cleaning device that utilizes ultrasonic method and allows disposal of the cleaning liquid and the contaminants into municipal sewage line. The present invention further contemplates provision of a device with a quick disconnect pipeline connector to allow collection of the cleaning solution for further use or disposal, depending on the application. It also contemplates filling the sink bowls directly with hot/cold water via faucet and sprayer arm.